Coordinates: 45°44′47″N 0°37′00″W / 45.7463888889, -0.633333333333

Commune of Saintes Charente River
Location
Administration
Country	France
Region	Poitou-Charentes
Department	Charente-Maritime
Arrondissement	Saintes
Mayor	Bernadette Schmitt (2001-2008)
Statistics
Elevation	2 m–81 m (avg. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This list of countries, arranged alphabetically This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. France is divided into 26 regions or régions (in French of which 21 are in continental Metropolitan France, one is the island of Corsica, Poitou-Charentes is an administrative region in central western France comprising four departments: Charente, Charente-Maritime, In the context of the political and geographic organization of France and many of its former colonies a department (département depaʁtǝmɑ̃ is an Administrative division Charente-Maritime is a department on the west coast of France named after the Charente River. The 100 French departments are divided into 342 arrondissements, which may be translated into English as districts. The arrondissement of Saintes is an arrondissement of France located in the Charente-Maritime département, in the Poitou-Charentes A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. 47 m)
Land area¹	45. 55 km²
Population² (1999)	25,595
- Density	562/km² (1999)
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code	17415/ 17100
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0. As of January 1, 2008, 64473140 people live in the French Republic. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume The INSEE code is a numerical indexing code used by the French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE to identify various entities including communes Postal codes were introduced in France in 1972, when La Poste introduced automated sorting. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. An estuary is a semi-enclosed Coastal body of Water with one or more Rivers or Streams flowing into it and with a free connection to the open
2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) only counted once. C D E

Saintes is a commune in France, in the Charente-Maritime département, of which it is a sub-prefecture. The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Charente-Maritime is a department on the west coast of France named after the Charente River. In the context of the political and geographic organization of France and many of its former colonies a department (département depaʁtǝmɑ̃ is an Administrative division Subprefectures (sous-préfectures are the administrative towns of arrondissements in France that do not contain the prefecture for its department.

History

Amphitheatre of Saintes

Triumphal arch of Germanicus (19 after Christ), at the right shores of river Charente, ancient part of old roman city Mediolanum Santonum

In Roman times, the town was called Mediolanum Santonum. The Charente is a River in western France, flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC Mediolanum Santonum was a Roman town of Western Gaul, now Saintes. It was founded in about 20 BC. Year 20 BC was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Julian calendar. Some estimations show that Saintes had about 15,000 inhabitants in those days, and that its borders were almost the same as today.

Saintes was the capital of the former province of Saintonge. The Kingdom of France was organised into Provinces until March 4, 1790, when the establishment of the département Saintonge is a small region on the Atlantic coast of France within the département Charente-Maritime, west and south of Charente It was the scene of the second phase of the Saintonge War, in 1242, when the army of Hugh X was besieged by that of Louis IX and Alphonse of Poitiers. The Saintonge War was a feudal dynastic encounter that occurred in 1242 between forces of Louis IX of France and those of Henry III of England. Hugh X of Lusignan, Hugh V of La Marche or Hugh I of Angoulême or Hugues X & V & I de Lusignan (c Alfonso or Alphonse ( 11 November 1220 &ndash 21 August 1271) was the Count of Poitou from 1225 and Count of Toulouse

Church tower of the Abbaye aux Dames

The French Wars of Religion hit Saintes during most of the 16th century since many Protestants inhabited the region. The French Wars of Religion (1562 to 1598 between French Catholics and Protestants ( Huguenots involved both civil infighting Bernard Palissy, one of them, saw that difficult period. Bernard Palissy (c 1510 - c 1589 was a French potter and craftsman famous for having struggled for 16 years to imitate Chinese porcelain.

In 1730 a new era began with the construction of the hôtel du Marquis de Monconseil which was the commencement of numerous changes in the city landscape. Year 1730 ( MDCCXXX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a

During the early years of the French Revolution, the town was the political base of André Antoine Bernard, a Jacobin revolutionary who represented Saintes in the Legislative Assembly of 1791-1792 and the National Convention of 1792-1795 and was among those responsible for the Reign of Terror. The French Revolution (1789–1799 was a period of political and social upheaval in the History of France, during which the French governmental structure previously an André Antoine Bernard ( 21 June 1751, Corme-Royal Saintonge — 19 October 1818, Funchal, Madeira) was a French The Jacobin Club was the largest and most powerful political club of the French Revolution. During the French Revolution, the Legislative Assembly was the legislature of France from October 1 1791 to September 1792. During the French Revolution, the National Convention or Convention, in France, comprised the Constitutional and legislative assembly Saint justjpg|thumbnail|200px| Louis Antoine Léon de Saint-Just]] The Reign of Terror' (5 September 1793 &ndash 28 July 1794 or simply The Terror (la Terreur was

Guéau de Reverseaux and others created the principal thoroughfares of Saintes like the Cours National, which opened in 1815, or the Cours Reverseaux. Year 1815 ( MDCCCXV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year In 1810, La Rochelle became the chef-lieu du département, but the displeasure of the population declined since Saintes kept the Cour d'Assise, which led to the construction of a new Palais de Justice in 1863. Year 1810 ( MDCCCX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year La Rochelle is a city in western France, and a Seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. Year 1863 ( MDCCCLXIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common

In 1843 Prosper Mérimée saved the Arc de Germanicus, but the old bridge was destroyed. Year 1843 ( MDCCCXLIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Prosper Mérimée ( September 28, 1803 &ndash September 23, 1870) was a French dramatist historian, archaeologist The Haras National de Saintes was created in 1846 and the town stretched out to the east. For the game see 1846 (board game. Year 1846 ( MDCCCXLVI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display The right bank, which was formerly confined to a small faubourg surrounding the Abbaye aux Dames, evolved when the railway arrived in Saintes. The station was built in 1867 and the avenue Gambetta linked it to the Charente. Year 1867 ( MDCCCLXVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting The 20th century saw the destruction of parts of the station neighbourhood during World War II, but also the creation of new housing units and commerces in the areas of Bellevue and Recouvrance. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including

Geography

Saintes is located on the banks of the Charente River, between La Rochelle and Bordeaux (on the autoroute A10). The Charente is a River in western France, flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. La Rochelle is a city in western France, and a Seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. ( Gascon: Bordèu) is a port city in southwest France, with one million inhabitants in its metropolitan area at a 2008 estimate The town is divided in several administrative areas (La Fenêtre, Recouvrance, Les Tourneurs, Les Boiffiers, Sain-Vivien, Saint-Pierre, Gare-Abbaye, Bellevue, La Récluse et S. De Bouard).

Sights

Cathédrale St Pierre

Saint-Eutrope Church in Saintes

• The Arch of Germanicus, a triumphal arch, was built at the entrance to a bridge, where the main Roman road crossed the Charente River. A triumphal arch is a structure in the shape of a monumental Archway, in theory built to celebrate a victory in war actually used to celebrate a ruler The Roman Roads were essential for the growth of the Roman Empire, by enabling the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate news The bridge was demolished in 1843 but the Arch was saved by Prosper Mérimée and rebuilt at its present location on the bank of the river. Year 1843 ( MDCCCXLIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Prosper Mérimée ( September 28, 1803 &ndash September 23, 1870) was a French dramatist historian, archaeologist
• Ruins of the Roman amphitheatre can be found on the left bank of the Charente, near the summit of the hill upon which the town was built. An amphitheatre (alternatively amphitheater) is an open-air venue for spectator sports concerts rallies or theatrical performances It is notable in that its tiers (the cavea) are built against the hill and an embankment. In Roman times the cavea were the subterranean cells in which wild animals were confined before the combats in the Roman arena or amphitheatre
• Some remnants of the thermae of Saint-Saloine (First century) are also visible, in particular an aqueduct. This page is on buildings used for Roman bathing For the activity in general see Ancient Roman bathing. The 1st century was the Century that lasted from 1 to 100 according the Julian calendar. An aqueduct is an artificial channel that is constructed to convey water from one location to another
• Fragments of the 3rd century rampart can be seen in the Place des Récollets. The 3rd century is the period from 201 to 300 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. It was built with stones taken from the Roman buildings.
• The Abbaye-aux-Dames.
• Saintes is also known for its other churches: the Église Saint-Eutrope and the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre. [Saintes Cathedral:[1] [Église Saint-Eutrope:[2],[3]

The main museums include:

• the Musée archéologique, which owns a Roman cart of the 1st century amongst a collection of sculptures and inscriptions. The 1st century was the Century that lasted from 1 to 100 according the Julian calendar.
• the Musée du Présidial, which has a mannerist architecture and a collection of regional ceramics and paintings of the 15th to 18th century. Mannerism is a period of European art which emerged from the later years of the Italian High Renaissance around 1520. The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system
• the Musée de l'Échevinage, which exhibits porcelain of Sèvres and paintings of the 19th and 20th century

Education

• The collèges include: the Collège René Caillié, the Collège Agrippa d'Aubigné, the Collège Edgar Quinet and the Collège Jeanne d'Arc. Sèvres is a commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar The twentieth century of the Common Era began on
• The lycées include: the Lycée de Bellevue, the Lycée Bernard-Palissy, the Lycée Notre-Dame-de-Recouvrance and the Lycée Georges Desclaude (agricultural instruction).

Miscellaneous

Saintes is twinned with:

• - Nivelles, Belgium
• - Timbuktu, Mali
• - Vladimir, Russia
• - Salisbury, England, United Kingdom
• - Cuevas del Almanzora, Spain
• - Xanten, Germany
• - - West University Place, Texas, USA

See also

• Saintongeais language

External links

• Saintes History: Urban Development
• (French) Town council website
• (French) Tourism office website
• (French) Pictures of the Abbaye aux Dames
• (French) Pictures of Saint-Eutrope church: [4] and [5]